A True Love*
by CPO
Summary: Can Tai express how he feels for a good friend?
1. I Love You

Digimon: Digital Monsters

A True Love

Chapter 1

"I Love You"

Disclaimer:I do not own the rights to Digimon: Digital Monster®, or any characters in them.Those belong to FOX Kids.

Authors Notes:This is my first fanfiction.I hope you enjoy it.I would also like to give special thanks to my brother, Slayerman2001, who helped me write this.

** **

"I'm glad to be back home," Tai said, stretching. He had just returned from the Digital World, where he had been trapped for 100 years(though it was only a week in "our" time), and he was ready to go home and get some well-deserved shut-eye.

"Me too," Sora agreed, yawning. They were standing with their friend Izzy, waiting for the bus to come.Tai and Sora lived close to each other, but Izzy lived on the other side of town and they decided to keep him company until the time came for him to leave.

"Yeah, but I do miss the Digimon.Hopefully we'll see them again soon," Izzy admitted, sadly.He sniffed back a tear when he thought about his own Digimon companion, Tentomon.He had never had any real friends before his journey and it was Tentomon who taught him about friendship and how to work with others.He was also the most intelligent beetle Izzy ever met.

"Yeah, I'm really gonna miss Biyomon," Sora said quietly, her thoughts filled with images of the pink bird whom she had grown to love, the way a mother loves a daughter. She thought about the way Biyomon looked, sounded, acted.Tears began to trickle down her soft cheeks.Not wanting to show her vulnerable side to the boys, she turned away and recomposed herself.

"I'll miss Agumon too," Tai said, silently chuckling when he thought of the energetic orange dinosaur.Though at first the Digimon freaked him out, he grew to love and respect the creature.As he looked into the star filled night, he wondered if he would ever seen his friend again.

It wasn't long before the bus pulled alongside the kids.Saying goodbye and waving to his friends, Izzy got on board.Tai and Sora watched until the bus was out of sight, and then stood awkwardly in their spots for a few moments.Finally Tai turned to Sora and smiled meekly.

"Hey Sora, do you, uh, want me to, uh, walk you home?" he asked nervously, his voice uneasy and shaky. 

"Sure, why not," Sora shrugged.Tai's eyes lite up with delight and excitement and a wide grin spread across his face.Putting his hands in his pockets and, trying to act as manly as he could, he began to head in the direction of Sora's apartment.Sora giggled as she followed her goofy friend.

"Hey Tai, can I ask you a question?" Sora asked as they approached her apartment building.

"Okay, I guess," Tai said reluctantly, his palms growing sweaty.His heart was racing for the past several moments, though he was trying to stay cool.He didn't want Sora to see how nervous, how intimidated, he was.

"Why are you acting so nervous?"

"Uh, um, that's kind of private," Tai said.He couldn't tell her the true reason.He couldn't let her know how he was feeling deep inside.He knew how she would react, and he knew he would end up with a broken heart.He had been keeping his feelings buried deep within him for such a long time.He couldn't tell Sora what he was feeling.Not now.Not yet.

"I can understand that.If you don't want to talk about it, you don't want to talk about it," Sora said nonchalantly.

_Whew_ Tai thought, relieved that he wasn't going to have to explain himself.  
  


"Well, here's my house," Sora said, stopping in front of the huge building.Tai nodded, his heart beating even faster than it had been a while earlier.Something deep within his soul told him it was time to tell Sora what had been haunting him for so long.

"Goodnight," Sora said, beginning to walk to the front door.

"Wait Sora.I have to tell you something," Tai exclaimed.Sora turned around and looked at him._Gosh he looks cute tonight_ she thought to herself._Wait!No he doesn't!Shut up! _

"What?"Sora asked, brushing a strand of light brown hair off her forehead.Tai took a deep breath.His heart felt as if it was going to jump out of his chest.Wiping his palms on his shorts, he looked in Sora's eyes said, in his quietest voice:

"I don't know how to say this but, Sora, I love you."

# 

# 

# To be continued…


	2. What Did You Say?

Digimon: Digital Monsters

True Love

Chapter 2

"What Did You Say?"

"Wh-What did you say, Tai?" Sora asked.She couldn't believe what she had heard.Did Tai really say 'love'?_This is the moment I've been waiting for_ Sora absent-mindedly thought to herself._What?No!It's not! _

Tai thought for a moment.Maybe Sora didn't hear him.This was his chance to slip away and pretend like the incident never happened.He could continue being Sora's best friend and she would be none-the-wiser.

_No Tai said to himself.__Sora needs to know.She deserves to know. _

_ _

"I said I love you," Tai repeated, lowering his eyes to the ground.

** **

Sora's eyes grew wide from shock and excitement.Her heart began pounding in her chest.It felt like it was going to leap out of her mouth at any minute.Sora's creamy white cheeks turned a deep red.Her knees grew wobbly, about to buckle under the weight of her body.She wanted to run to Tai and kiss him on the lips, but she resisted.She wasn't one to leap before she thought.This was a lot of new, wonderful, information, but Sora needed time to let it register in her brain.A good nights sleep was just the cure for that.

"I, uh, I have to go," Sora said, turning and running to her apartment."I'll call you tomorrow and we'll, um, talk." She shouted as she opened the lobby doors and disappeared behind them.

_She hates me Tai thought as he sadly as he walked half a block to his apartment._

*****

"Hey Tai, took you long enough," Kari, Tai's little sister said sheepishly as Tai entered his home.

Although it was late, and past her bedtime, Kari was getting a glass of milk out of the refrigerator.She waited for Tai to scold her for being up so late, but instead he ignored his sister and silently walked to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Tai plopped on his bed, curling under the warm sheets.They offered little comfort, however.He couldn't get his mind off of what a fool he made of himself.He kept reliving the look of horror and disappointment on Sora's face when he told her he loved her._She was disgusted by me Tai thought to himself, tears welling in his eyes.He sniffed them back.He didn't want to cry over this.He **wouldn't **cry over this.__She is too funny and charming and beautiful.She would never want to be with a guy like me. Tai could feel his eyelid growing heavier and heavier.It wasn't long before the thoughts lured him to sleep.Though he slept sounding, Sora was the focus of most of his dreams._

*****

# RIIIIIIIIIIIING RIIIIIIIIIIIIING

_ _

The phone was loud, at it broke Sora out of her peaceful slumber almost immediately.Though hazy eyes, she slid out of bed and glanced at the clock.It was 5:30 in the morning._Can't a girl get her beauty sleep? Sora stumbled through the darkened room, searching for her dresser and the phone._

_Mom and dad are going to be so mad. Sora thought as she lifted the receiver to her ear._

"Hello?" she hissed.There was a moment's pause."Tai?Why are you calling so early?"

"Meet me at the park at 11:30.I have something to show you," Tai told her, and he abruptly hung up.

**To Be Continued…..**


	3. The Box

Digimon: Digital Monsters

A True Love

Chapter 3

**"The Box"**

Sora sat on a swing, intolerantly waiting for her knight in shining armor, Tai.It was seasonably warm in Tokyo and the sun shined on Sora, rubbing her back like a warm hand.Young children chased each other on the playground, wrestling on the bright green grass and giggling and laughing.Sora noticed her friend T.K. chasing a darling blue bird.The world seemed so alive.Magic and romance were in the air.

_It's already 11:45.Where could Tai be? _Sora had given up on waiting. Tai was already 45 minutes late and she had better things to do.She jumped off her swing.As she started to depart Tai ran to her.He was breathing hard and Sora knew he had probably run all the way from his apartment.

"Sorry I'm late, Sora," he panted.

"It took you long enough," Sora snapped, her voice full of exasperation."What was it you wanted to show me?"

Tai reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dark blue box.He placed it in the palm of his hand and held it out for Sora to see. 

"I wanted to show you this."

Sora took the box and opened it.Her eyes widened with a mixture of shock and surprise.Tears formed in the corner of Sora's eyes and she wrapped her arms around Tai's neck.

"Oh Tai," she cried."I love it _almost _as much as I love you!"

Tai was taken aback by Sora's last comment._Did She just say she loved me? _Several of the children that had been wrestling with each other moments earlier stopped to watch the two teens.Little girls giggled while boys made gagging noises and stuck their tongues out.

"You do?" he asked, his cheeks growing red.He hugged Sora's tiny waist.

"Yes!"

* * * * *

"Why are you so happy, Tai?" Kari asked Tai as he happily entered the apartment.He had a dopey grin plastered on his face and a far off, vacant look in his eyes.

"Nothing that would concern you Kari," Tai chuckled, playfully ruffling his sister's hair.

Tai plopped down on the couch and flicked on the T.V.Though he tried to concentrate on the show he was watching, he couldn't take his mind off Sora.He thought about how beautiful she was, with her light brown hair, her soft skin, and the hat she always wore.Every time a character appeared on T.V., they had Sora's face.Tai sighed lovingly.

_Teenage boys in love are disgusting! _Kari thought as she took her glass of Coke and went to her room.

* * * * *

# RIIIIIIIING RIIIIIIIIING

_ _

"I'm awake" Tai yawned, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and stumbling out of bed.He felt his way to his desk, where the phone was ringing off its hook.

# RIIIIIIIIIIIING

_ _

"Tai," Kari moaned, rolling over in bed."Answer that."

"Hello," Tai whispered, lifting the receiver to his ear."Oh, hey Sora."

Tai listened to Sora frantically sobbing on the other line.His eyes shot open in terror.His heart began pounding in his ears.His pit of his stomach twisted and turned like the tide.He thought he was going to be sick. 

"What?I'll be there as soon as possible," he bellowed, slamming the receiver down.

"What's wrong Tai?" Kari asked, half conscious.

"I have to go to Sora's right now!" Tai told her, putting on clothes he wore the day before (not that it mattered, he wore those clothes every day).

Kari's eyes shot open and she sat up in bed.She was now very wide-awake.She silently watched as Tai snuck out of the apartment.

"But it's only 3:00 in the morning!" Kari thought to no one.

**To Be Continued…. **


	4. Mysterious Secrets

**Digimon: Digital Monsters**

# **True Love**

**Chapter 4**

**"Mysterious Secrets"**

Tai didn't knock, he just entered Sora's apartment.It was dark but he could see her silhouette pacing in the living room.When she heard Tai enter she ran to him, threw her arms around him.Her body was shaking, sobbing.

"Sora, what happened?Are you hurt?"Tai asked sympathetically.

"Th.. The box.Something ha..happened with.. the… the box." Sora sobbed into Tai's shoulder.All her defenses were down.She didn't care if Tai saw her as the scared little girl that she was.She felt so horrible for losing such a precious item; an item Tai gave her to prove he loved her.

* * * * *

## Digiworld: 

** **

"Tai, can I talk to you for a moment," Jeni asked, taking Tai's arm and pulling him aside.

"Yeah, sure," Tai said, letting Jeni lead him away from the rest of the group.

"Can I trust you to keep something for me?" Jeni reached into his long robe and pulled about the little blue box.He handed it to Tai.

"A box," Tai said, studying the box inquisitively."You want me to watch a box?"

"Not just an ordinary box," Jeni corrected."It's a dimensional warp between your world and the digital world.It can be used more than once, but the effects will only last a few hours.But make sure, whatever you do, _don't _let it fall into the wrong hands.There will be terrible consequences."

"Don't worry," Tai said coolly."I won't let you down."He left the tiny digimon and boarded the train with the rest of his friends.

"Go luck."

* * * * * 

"What happened to it?"Tai asked, releasing Sora from his embrace.Sora looked at the floor, her face growing red.She couldn't look Tai in the eyes.She couldn't bear to see the pain, the disappointment.

"T.K. and Matt were invited to dinner at my house tonight.I showed them the box, I even let T.K. open it.I didn't know what would happen.I didn't know what it would release.I'm so sorry!"Sora fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

"What happened?" Tai asked, his voice hushed but anxious.

Sora sniffled. 

"He accidentally opened the portal and released," her voice trailed off.She was looking out her living room window, into the city, her eyes frozen in terror.Tai followed her gaze.His jaw dropped.

"Oh no," he whimpered.

_Stay tuned for Chapter 5!_


End file.
